Tag: Lou Whitaker

Aug. 3, 1984: Royals 9 – Tigers 6

W: Bret Saberhagen (5-8) – L: Milt Wilcox (11-7) – S: Dan Quisenberry (28) | Boxscore

Record: 72-35 — 10.5 games up on Toronto

Highlights

  • Milt gave up six runs on six hits, one of them a Frank White grand slam, in three innings of work — though he pitched to five hitters in the fourth inning. At that point, the Royals handed their starter Bud Black an 8-2 lead.
  • Saberhagen relieved Black and pitched an inning and two-thirds to earn the win. Quisenberry allowed only two hits in his 22/3 innings.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Bill Kunkel, 1B – Terry Cooney, 2B – Derryl Cousins, 3B – Richard Shulock
  • Time of Game: 2:37
  • Attendance: 39,480

Birthdays

Pat McCoy, Matt Joyce, Wendell Magee, Dan Meyer and the late Jim Hegan and Harry Heilmann, who hit .342 in 15 years with the Tigers. He hit over .390 four times, including .403 in 1923. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1952.

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 489 9/9 — Rarity: 32

See you tomorrow.

Aug. 2, 1984: Tigers 2 – Indians 1

W: Jack Morris (14-7) – L: Bert Blyleven (10-5) – S: Willie Hernández (22) | Boxscore

Record: 72-34 — 11.5 games up on Toronto

Highlights

  • This is a special game for me. My Dad treated me, my brother and my friend Gordie to this one to celebrate my 16th birthday. We ate at the greasiest of greasy spoons on Trumbull, in the Checker (?) Cab building. Then we made our way to our box seats — an absolute rarity — down the left field line, above the Tigers’ bullpen.
  • Morris and Blyleven were evenly matched and homers supplied all the runs: Andre Thornton hit a solo home run in the top of the fourth, and Lou Whitaker hit a two-run shot in the fifth to cap the scoring.
  • Blyleven threw six innings and allowed seven hits and struck out two. Morris tossed eight innings and also allowed seven hits with one strikeout.
  • Willie allowed a leadoff single in the ninth and then retired the next three batters to earn the save.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Ted Hendry, 1B – Drew Coble, 2B – Jim Evans, 3B – Greg Kosc
  • Time of Game: 2:39
  • Attendance: 28,700

Birthdays

Colby Lewis, Matt Miller, the pride of Macomb Community College, Art “Spider” James, and the late William “Kid” Nance.

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 488 9/9 — Rarity: 63

See you tomorrow.

July 31, 1984: Doubleheader versus Cleveland

Game 1: Tigers 5 – Indians 1

W: Juan Berenguer (5-7) – L: Roy Smith (4-3) | Boxscore

Record: 71-32

Highlights

  • This was a makeup game from the previous week’s rainout in Cleveland.
  • Berenguer was solid: 61/3 innings, four hits, two walks and four strikeouts — and just one run.
  • The Tigers jumped all over Indians’ starter Smith with five runs in the second inning. Doug Baker hit a bases-loaded triple and Ruppert Jones hit a solo shot which sent Smith to the showers.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Drew Coble, 1B – Jim Evans, 2B – Greg Kosc, 3B – Ted Hendry
  • Time of Game: 2:30

Game 2: Indians 6 – Tigers 4

W: Neal Heaton (8-10) – L: Dave Rozema (7-3) – S: Tom Waddell (5) | Boxscore

Record: 71-33 — 12 games up on Toronto

Highlights

  • Cleveland chased Rozey with six runs on seven hits in 21/3 innings.
  • At the time, I wish I had better appreciated the freak of nature that was Aurelio López. Sparky used him in every situation except for spot starter — and he probably would have excelled in the role. In this one, he pitched 62/3 of shutout relief, allowing just four hits, one walk and striking out five.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Jim Evans, 1B – Greg Kosc, 2B – Ted Hendry, 3B – Drew Coble
  • Time of Game: 2:50
  • Attendance: 32,158

Birthdays

Reese Olson, Andy Van Hekken, Gabe Kapler, Howard Bailey, Dave Dombrowski, Terry Fox and the late Al Aber, Harry Malmberg and Billy Hitchcock

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 486 9/9 — Rarity: 37

See you tomorrow.

July 28, 1984: Red Sox 3 – Tigers 2

W: Bob Stanley (7-6) – L: Jack Morris (13-7) – S: Mark Clear (3) | Boxscore

Record: 69-32 — 12 games up on Toronto

Highlights

  • Morris had one of his better starts of late, seven innings pitched, three runs, eight hits and seven strikeouts, but the Boston trio of John Henry Johnson, Bob Stanley and Mark Clear held the Tigers’s offense in check.
  • The Tigers had bases loaded with two out in the ninth, but Ruppert Jones grounded out.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Don Denkinger, 1B – Al Clark, 2B – Mike Reilly, 3B – Tim McClelland
  • Time of Game: 2:58
  • Attendance: 49,372

Birthdays

Brendon Davis the late Ted Lepcio, Ben Steiner, John Glaiser, Hank Perry and Bob Wood

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 483 — Rarity:25

See you tomorrow.

July 24, 1984: Tigers 9 – Indians 5

W: Milt Wilcox (10-6) – L: Steve Farr (1-7) | Boxscore

Record: 68-29 — 11.5 games up on Toronto

Highlights

  • Doug Baker had a career day, going 4 for 5 with two runs scored, and Milt allowed six hits across 62/3 innings — plus four unearned runs.
  • Detroit won their sixth straight and 11th of their last 12.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Cleveland Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Ted Hendry, 1B – Drew Coble, 2B – Jim Evans, 3B – Greg Kosc
  • Time of Game: 3:21
  • Attendance: 15,578

Birthdays

Jason Smith, Joe Oliver and Jeff Kaiser

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 479 9/9 — Rarity: 23

See you tomorrow.

July 19, 1984: Tigers 9 – Rangers 2

W: Milt Wilcox (9-6) – L: Dave Stewart (4-11) | Boxscore

Record: 63-29 — 8 games up on Toronto

Highlights

  • A terrific start for Wilcox: 71/3 innings, eight hits, two runs, seven strikeouts and no walks.
  • The Tigers are in the middle of a 15-game stretch where they go 12-3. 🔥

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Rocky Roe, 1B – Ken Kaiser, 2B – Dale Ford, 3B – Larry Barnett
  • Time of Game: 2:32
  • Attendance: 26,908

Mark Carreon OF — #15

Mark Carreon played just one season in Detroit, 1992, but what the hay, let’s look back on it:

  • His final game also came against Toronto, on Oct. 4, but no highlights to speak of in this one: 0 for 5 with an error.
  • All told, he hit .232 with 10 homers in 101 games. After the ’92 season he became a free agent and signed with the Giants.

Birthdays

Phil Coke, Mark Carreon, the late Mark Koenig, Earl Hamilton and Erve Beck

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 474 9/9: Rarity: 59

See you tomorrow.

July 17, 1984: Tigers 3 – White Sox 2

July 17, 1984: Tigers 3 – White Sox 2

W: Dan Petry (12-4) – L: Gene Nelson (1-2) – S: Willie Hernández (17) | Boxscore

Record: 62-28 — 9 games up on Toronto

Highlights

  • The Tigers scored three in the first and let it ride the rest of the way, thanks to a strong 72/3 innings from Dan Petry. He allowed just five hits and a walk to go with five strikeouts.
  • Nelson was equally solid, allowing just the three runs in eight innings.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Drew Coble, 1B – Mark Johnson, 2B – Greg Kosc, 3B – Ted Hendry
  • Time of Game: 2:03
  • Attendance: 34,579

Mike Muñoz LHP – #43

Here are six things to know about lefty reliever Mike Munoz:

  1. The Tigers acquired him on Sept. 30, 1990 from the Dodgers for minor leaguer Mike Wilkins.
  2. Muñoz made his Tigers debut on June 19, 1991 against the A’s tossing one inning of relief.
  3. He spent most of the ’91 season in Toledo, apart from the six games for the Tigers that amounted to a 0-0 record with a 9.64 ERA in 91/3 innings.
  4. In 1992, Muñoz was a fixture in Sparky’s bullpen, appearing in 65 games and notching a 1-2 record, two saves and a 4.71 ERA.
  5. He appeared in eight games for the ’93 Tigers — 0-1 with a 6.00 ERA — before being released. Muñoz’s last game as a Tiger came on April 28 against the Rangers, in which he took the loss. His final Tigers line: 1-3, two saves and a 4.18 ERA in 79 games.
  6. Muñoz eventually signed with the Rockies where he carved out a nice career, pitching six seasons in Denver.

Birthdays

Hal Erickson and Guy Tutwiler

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 472 9/9: Rarity: 25

See you tomorrow.

July 15, 1984: Tigers 6 – Twins 2

July 15, 1984: Tigers 6 – Twins 2

W: Dave Rozema (6-1) – L: Ken Schrom (2-4) – S: Aurelio López (11) | Boxscore

Record: 60-28 — 7 games up on Toronto

Highlights

  • The Tigers had 15 hits on the night, 10 off Twins starter Schrom in 42/3 innings.
  • Rozema turned in a solid start: 51/3, eight hits, two runs and five strikeouts.

Miscellany

  • Venue: The Metrodome
  • Umpires: HP – Joe Brinkman, 1B – Larry McCoy, 2B – Nick Bremigan, 3B – Vic Voltaggio
  • Time of Game: 3:00
  • Attendance: 27,965

Birthdays

Scott Livingstone and the late Bob Miller, Joe Rogalski and Red Oldham

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 470 9/9: Rarity: 172

Pete Rose is likely the least-rare guess of my Grid-playing career.

See you tomorrow.

July 13, 1984: Tigers 5 – Twins 3 (11)

July 13, 1984: Tigers 5 – Twins 3 (11)

W: Willie Hernández (5-0) – L: Rick Lysander (0-1) – S: Aurelio López (10) | Boxscore

Record: 58-28 — 7 games up on Toronto

Highlights

  • Jack Morris and Twins starter John Butcher matched up more or less evenly through seven. The Tigers gave Morris a 3-2 lead in the top of the eighth — thanks to a Johnny Grubb solo homer — only to see The Cat allow the tying run in the bottom half.
  • Lou Whitaker‘s 11th-inning two-run homer off Lysander gave the Tigers a 5-3 lead. Aurelio López earned the save by pitching a quintessential Señor Smoke inning: one hit, one walk and one strikeout.
  • Whitaker, Lance Parrish, Chet Lemon and Tom Brookens each had two hits. In fact, the Tigers got four hits in five at bats out of the number-nine spot: One from Doug Baker, Grubb’s homer and Brookens’ double and triple.

Miscellany

  • Venue: The Metrodome
  • Umpires: HP – Nick Bremigan, 1B – Vic Voltaggio, 2B – Joe Brinkman, 3B – Larry McCoy
  • Time of Game: 3:11
  • Attendance: 30,050

Birthdays

Clint Sodowsky and the late George Cunningham

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 468 9/9: Rarity: 20

See you tomorrow.

July 10, 1984: National League 3 – American League 1

July 10, 1984: National League 3 – American League 1

W: Charlie Lea (1-0) – L: Dave Stieb (0-1) – S: Rich Gossage (1) | Boxscore

Highlights

  • Lou Whitaker led off the game with a double to right off the Expos’ Charlie Lea. (Baseball Reference’s box score describes the hit as “Pop Fly to Short RF Line”.)
  • Jack Morris relieved Stieb in the third and tossed two scoreless innings, allowing two hits and a walk, and striking out two.
  • Chet Lemon started and batted eighth. In the second inning he singled to center off Lea. In the top of the fifth, Lance, Chet and the Mariners’ Alvin Davis were struck out in succession by Dwight Gooden.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Candlestick Park
  • Umpires: HP – Lee Weyer, 1B – Al Clark, 2B – Dutch Rennert, 3B – Durwood Merrill, LF – Fred Brocklander, RF – Rocky Roe
  • Time of Game: 2:29
  • Attendance: 57,756

Birthdays

Buddy Groom, the late Jim Walsh and Bobby Lowe

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 465 9/9: Rarity: 7

See you tomorrow.